JOHN McAtee could be given a chance to prove himself in the Wanderers midfield after captain George Thomason was ruled out until the end of November.

The former Luton Town man dropped into a deeper position alongside Josh Sheehan and Kyle Dempsey against Burton Albion on Saturday and could now keep his place at Birmingham City tonight.

Ian Evatt could have goalkeeper Nathan Baxter and centre-back Eoin Toal available for selection once again but will need to make a decision in midfield, with Scott Arfield, Klaidi Lolos and Jay Matete also vying for a spot.

The Bolton boss admits losing his captain for the next few games in a blow, given he has been one of the first names on the team-sheet over the last 18 months.

“George is frustrated because other than the impact knee injury he had a year or two ago he isn’t one to get injured, especially muscular injuries,” he said. “He is one of our most robust players.

“It was a freak accident and sometimes they can happen. The way the ball hit him and the movement he was doing at the time of contact just forced him into a position that his hamstring didn’t like very much. He over-stretched and it is what it is.

“We’re sad to lose him but Saturday’s result was huge, given we had no Nathan Baxter, Eoin Toal or George Thomason, who were mainstays of the spine of the team. Anyone who loses the spine of the team, it can be a hindrance, but the lads stepped up. Now we have to form a plan for Tuesday.”

Evatt has hinted that he could make changes to the team that beat Burton to keep his side fresh, with Victor Adeboyejo also pushing for a recall up front.

Baxter and Toal were late withdrawals at the weekend but it is hoped both will be available against the league leaders in the first meeting between the two clubs since February 2019.

He said: “We have a squad of players who all want to play, that’s the nature of football, they all want to play every week. But football has changed and the mindset has to change, it is about the badge on the front and not the name on the back.

“We are playing for a collective goal and ambition. Everyone can have their own individual aims and ambitions but I have never seen anyone win anything as an individual, it is all about the team. That is how our mind needs to be.”